A killer set by Cal Tader – every bit as great as some of his best work from earlier years! The album was recorded with a small tight combo – one that features the great Mark Levine on both acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, plus flute and percussion by Roger Glenn, and congas and percussion by Poncho Sanchez. The whole thing glides along in a nice blend of electric and acoustic jamming – similar to Cal's best work of the late 60s, and with a stripped down groove that has a lot more fire than the average Concord release! LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent 50s Latin work from Cal Tjader – and a set that boasts some especially nice tenor from the legendary Brew Moore! Moore's sound here anchors the date nicely – bringing in a bit more of a bottom sound than usual for a Cal Tjader Latin date – really rooting the record with a strong sense of soul has he blows with that wonderful tone he had in the 50s. Other players include Manuel Duran on piano, Carlos Duran on bass, Beny Velarde on timbales, and Luis Miranda on congas – and titles include "Invitation", "Tropicana", "Manuel's Mambo", and "All the Things You Are". CD

A killer Verve Records set from vibist Cal Tjader – a set that brings together both his Latin inclinations and his groovier 60s mod style – all in a blend that's handled perfectly by arranger Oliver Nelson! Other players include Jerry Dodgion and Jerome Richardson on flutes, Attila Zoller on guitar, Chick Corea on piano, and Jose Mangual, Patato Valdez, and Victor Pantoja on Latin percussion! Titles include "Descarga Cubana", "Morning", "Oran", "Curacao", and "Chuchy Frito Man". Very nice! LP, Vinyl record album

Groovy compilation that brings together tracks from Cal's hard-to-find albums for the Skye label from the late 60s – all of which are excellent, and all of which we can't find that easily on wax anymore! Cal's hitting a nice sweet funky vibe here, with a lot of electric piano grooving nicely next to his classic moody sound. Titles include "Solar Heat", "Here", "Alonzo", "Nica's Dream", "Don't Make Me Over", and a tasty cover of "Ode To Billie Joe". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little meeting of two of the better talents on Verve Records in the early 60s – one that pairs the warm vocals of Anita O'Day with the cool vibes of Cal Tjader – in a sweet little session that's actually one of O'Day's best from the time! The feel here is lively, and slightly Latinesque – as Cal's smal combo features Johnny Rae on drums, and Lonnie Hewitt on piano – both players who are well-tuned towards a more rhythmic approach. Includes a great version of "An Occasional Man", plus the tracks "Mr. Sandman", "I Believe In You", "Peel Me A Grape", and a nice take of "Thanks For The Memory". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collaboration between pianist Eddie Palmieri and vibist Cal Tajder – a record done for Tico in answer to their previous session for Verve – and a set that's even harder-jamming overall! Cal and Eddie really find something special together on the record – and both players groove into a descarga mode that burns even more strongly than their own other work of the decade – a masterful jam that's a really true collaboration, and which brings out the best that both musicians had to offer. Cal's moving way beyond his familiar modes here – with a fluid, freely colorful sound – and Eddie himself is beginning to hit some of the darker, harder notes that would show up even more strongly on his records of the 70s. There's a much more strongly jazz-based sound here than most of Palmieri's previous records – a really bold focus on the instrumentation as it rolls out over some great modally-informed grooves – and titles include "Bamboleate", "Resemblance", "Guajira Candela", "Mi Montuno", and "Come An Get It". CD

Great stuff – and very very groovy! Cal cut this record for Verve during the height of his swinging 60s Latin years – and he's working here with arranger Chico O'Farrill, who at the time, was perfectly suited for Cal's short, jaunty approach to a groove! The album's filled with nice tracks that bounce along – a bit of bass at the bottom, and plenty of strong vibes and piano. Titles include "Trick or Treat", "Similau", and "Green Peppers", plus his take on "Along Comes Mary" is every bit as groovy as the original by The Association! LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy 60s session from vibist Cal Tjader – and an excellent little Latin set, with a mixture of bossa nova and Latin jazz that goes way beyond the promise of the title! The great Clare Fischer arranged the set – and if you know his work with Cal, you know that he's got a wonderful approach to jazz that works perfectly with Tjader's unique phrasing – a spacious sensibility, and a great sense of timing – one that always ensures the tunes sparkle with a sweetly stepping groove. Fischer plays piano on the record – and other players include Laurindo Almeida on guitar, Paul Horn on reeds, Johnny Rae on timbales, and Milt Holland on percussion. Titles include "Choro E Batuque", "Nao Diga Nada", "Elizete", "Imagen", "Vai Querer", and "Que Tristeza". CD

A beautifully plugged-in, turned-on session from Cal Tjader – one that features the funky vibist alongside some sweet Fender Rhodes! The session was recorded live, but it's got a flowing, modal quality that rivals Tjader's best work in the studio for Verve and Fantasy at the end of the 60s – a soaring, spacious sound that comes from the interplay between Cal's ringing vibes and the Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano work of Al Zulaica – an excellent player we only know from a few of Tjader's albums. Armando Peraza provides some tight conga work on the set – and titles include "Spooky", "Tra La La Song", "Morning Mist", "Alonzo", "Nica's Dream", and "Get Out of My Way" – a great instrumental take on the Latin soul hit from Joe Torres! CD

Two great groovers from Cal's hard to find Tjader album! Both cuts are covers of pop numbers, but they're done here in a great way – with nice electric piano, and very off-kilter grooves! Plenty of excellent vibes – and Cal's in his best bag of the 60s! 7-inch, Vinyl record

An overlooked 70s gem from Cal Tjader – a sweet little live set recorded in San Francisco, and a solid groover that stands with his better-known 70s live albums for Fantasy! The tunes have a spare and spacious feel to them – almost like Cal and the group are feeling out the spaces between the notes for extra soulfulness, and going for an airier groove than you might expect for the time. Clare Fischer's in the group with Cal on electric piano – and Pancho Sanchez plays congas on the record, giving it plenty of Latin touches in just the right moments! Tunes are laidback, but nicely grooving – and the record features a great version of Gary McFarland's "Gary's Theme", Clare's "Morning", and the tracks "Here", "Liz-Anne", and "Tu Crees Que". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout session from Cal Tjader – a straight jazz side from the late 50s, recorded with a hip group that includes Vince Guaraldi on piano, Gene Wright on bass, and Al Torre on drums. Although Cal's possibly better-remembered for his Latin work of the time, the record is a good reminder that the Tjader approach to vibes worked equally well in a more standard jazz setting – especially when paired with the lightly lyrical piano genius of a young Vince Guaraldi! The set was captured live at the Blackhawk in San Francisco – practically home turf for Cal and the group – with a sound that's easy, laidback, and very nicely grooving! Titles include "Lover Come Back To Me", "Bill B", "Land's End", "Thinking Of You MJQ", and "Two For Blues Suite". CD

Mellow electric stuff recorded by Tjader with a number of different west coast studio groups. The tracks are pretty short, and not as funky as those on some of Tjader's other records from the time, but there's still plenty of nice jazzy moments, and a good moody vibe. Titles include "Gary's Theme", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Charisma", and "I Want You Back". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent 50s Latin work from Cal Tjader – and a set that boasts some especially nice tenor from the legendary Brew Moore! Moore's sound here anchors the date nicely – bringing in a bit more of a bottom sound than usual for a Cal Tjader Latin date – really rooting the record with a strong sense of soul has he blows with that wonderful tone he had in the 50s. Other players include Manuel Duran on piano, Carlos Duran on bass, Beny Velarde on timbales, and Luis Miranda on congas – and titles include "Invitation", "Tropicana", "Manuel's Mambo", and "All the Things You Are". CD

Excellent 50s Latin work from Cal Tjader – and a set that boasts some especially nice tenor from the legendary Brew Moore! Moore's sound here anchors the date nicely – bringing in a bit more of a bottom sound than usual for a Cal Tjader Latin date – really rooting the record with a strong sense of soul has he blows with that wonderful tone he had in the 50s. Other players include Manuel Duran on piano, Carlos Duran on bass, Beny Velarde on timbales, and Luis Miranda on congas – and titles include "Invitation", "Tropicana", "Manuel's Mambo", and "All the Things You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length set that features 2 Latin dates by vibist Cal Tjader! First up is Demasiado Caliente – one of Cal's lesser-known Latin sessions from his Fantasy Records years – a nice little cooker with some great arrangements from Eddie Cano, who also plays piano on the set! The album features two different groups – one a more familiar Tjader quartet with Lonnie Hewitt on piano and Jose Lozano on flute – the other a slightly larger group led by Cano, featuring Eddie on pian, Modesto Briseno on flute and alto, and Tony Terran on trumpet. Tracks are shortish, but plenty darn great – and Cal's vibes get some great company from the piano and horn players on the date. Percussion is by Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo – and titles include "Para Ti", "Mamblues", "Cal's Pals", "Tumbao", "Bludan", "Manila", and "Chispita". Cal Tjader Latino is tremendous Latin work from Cal – a set that has tracks that are a bit longer than usual, with grooves that really open up nicely and point the way towards the sound of his years at Verve Records! The players shift somewhat throughout the set, but are all pretty great – and they include Paul Horn and Rolando Lozano on flute, Jose Chombo Silva on tenor, and either Vince Guaraldi and Lonnie Hewitt on piano – plus heavy percussion from Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo. Titles include a really cooking take on "Afro Blue" – billed here to Mongo Santamaria as the author in the cut's pre-Coltrane fame – plus "Night In Tunisia", "Mambo Terrifico", "Rezo", and "Cuban Fantasy". CD

Great live work from Cal Tjader – one of a number of sets but at his home turf of the Blackhawk Nightclub in San Francisco! The album's nicely laidback, with tracks that stretch out a bit more than Tjader's studio work for Fantasy Records – often hitting a slight Latin groove at times, but with a bit more of a straight jazz vibes feel overall! The great Lonnie Hewitt's on the group on piano, coloring in the tunes with some very soulful notes – and in addition to Cal's vibes, the rest of the lineup includes Victor Venegas on bass, and Willie Bobo on drums. Mongo Santamaria on congas and Rolando Lozano on flute join in on the track "Mambo Terrifico" – and other titles include "Racoon Straits", "Bad & The Beautiful", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", and "The Continental". LP, Vinyl record album

A 2-in-1 Latin jazz spectacular from the mighty Cal Tjader! First up is the album Ritmo Caliente – one of Tjader's first Latin-tinged sessions for Fantasy Records – and a really wonderful batch of tracks recorded with a shifting array of very hip players! In addition to Cal's vibes, and expected Latin percussion – handled by Armando Peraza on congas and bongos – the set also features some totally slamming piano work from Eddie Cano, Manuel Duran, and Richard Wyands – each of whom get a chance at the keys on the set, really helping to bring in a range of different colors and tones. An added bonus is Jerome Richardson on flute – who plays on about half of the album's tracks – in that soulfully snaking way he virtually owned back in the 50s. Tracks are short, and filled with plenty of energy – and titles include "Ritmo Caliente", "Mambo Moderno", "Alegres Timbales", "Buhutu (Nanigo 6/8)", "Cubano Chant", "Goza", "Lamento De Hodi", "Mueve La Cintura", and "Afro Corolombo". On Mas Ritmo Caliente, Cal Tjader's working in a smoking Latin vibe throughout – and has managed to get some great extra help in his efforts! The album was mostly recorded in Chicago and New York, and these different locals seem to give the record a slightly different flavor than some of Tjader's other west coast dates from the 50s – a slightly harder Latin groove, thanks to the presence of players like Jose Chombo Silva on tenor sax, Gerald Sanfino on flute and alto, Bobby Rodriguez on bass, Mongo Santamaria on congas, Willie Bobo on timbales, and Luis Kant on percussion. Vince Guaraldi's on piano on all tracks – bringing in a nice dose of warmth next to Cal's vibes – and titles include "Mongorama", "Ritmo Africano", "Ritmo Rumba", "Tumbao", "Perdido", and "Cuco On Timbales". CD

Early Latin from the great Cal Tjader – proof that he had a wonderful ear for this sort of a groove, even when he was just getting started! The album's a killer batch of jazzy mambos all the way through – served up with hard-edged vibes from Cal, all nicely chromatic in tone – plus rhythm from a combo that includes Beny Velarde on timbales, Manuel Duran on piano, Carlos Duran on bass, and Edgard Rosales on conga. Tracks are short, but the mambo groove makes for plenty of nice jazz touches – and Cal's vibes ring out loud and clear with a tone that's almost bolder than in later years! Titles include "Lucero", "Autumn Leaves", "Tenderly", "Mamblues", "Cherry", "I'll Remember April", and "Bye Bye Blues". CD

The crashing waves of the Pacific coast hardly seem like the serene setting you might want for the vibes of Cal Tjader – but this album works surprisingly well, and offers up Cal's combo in a Monterey live date, before the jazz festival really got going strong! The group's one that matches his best early albums for Fantasy – piano from Lonnie Hewitt, soulful bass from Al McKibbon, and some great Latin percussion from Mongo Santamaria and Willie Bobo! Paul Horn also joins the group on flute – blowing with lyrical lines that fit the sound wonderfully, adding a whole new dimension to the music. Many tracks are longer than usual for the Fantasy years – and titles include "Walkin With Wally", "Doxy", "Round Midnight", "Tumbao", "Love Me Or Leave Me", "SS Groove", "Tu Crees Que", and "Afro Blue". CD

One of Cal Tjader's first Latin-tinged sessions for Fantasy Records – and a really wonderful batch of tracks recorded with a shifting array of very hip players! In addition to Cal's vibes, and expected Latin percussion – handled by Armando Peraza on congas and bongos – the set also features some totally slamming piano work from Eddie Cano, Manuel Duran, and Richard Wyands – each of whom get a chance at the keys on the set, really helping to bring in a range of different colors and tones. An added bonus is Jerome Richardson on flute – who plays on about half of the album's tracks – in that soulfully snaking way he virtually owned back in the 50s. Tracks are short, and filled with plenty of energy – and titles include "Ritmo Caliente", "Mambo Moderno", "Alegres Timbales", "Buhutu (Nanigo 6/8)", "Cubano Chant", "Goza", "Lamento De Hodi", "Mueve La Cintura", and "Afro Corolombo". LP, Vinyl record album

A late date for Cal, but a great one too – the kind of a session that shows that his fire was never dampened after years of different albums in different settings – and that his sound was always wonderfully suited to a small group set! The album's got an easy-going grace that might be overlooked at first – no tricks, no gimmicks, and no electricity – but Cal's a hell of a leader with a wonderful vision, bringing in a nice mix of jazz and easy influences to a group that includes Hank Jones on piano and Scott Hamilton on tenor. The tunes are all Johnny Mandel compositions, and titles include "Quietly There", "Emily", "Unless It's You", "Time For Love", "The Shining Sea", and "Song From MASH". CD

A really great reading of the West Side Story score – one that's better than most of the other ones floating around from the time! Of course, part of the reason for that is because the session's got some super-hip scoring from the great Clare Fischer – just starting out here, but doing excellent work with Cal, and also playing a bit of piano on the set. Other players include usual suspects like Paul Horn, Willie Bobo, and Lonnie Hewitt – and although the tracks are familiar, they're nicely transformed by the strength of the arrangement and work on vibes and piano. Titles include "Tonight", "Maria", "Jet Song", and "Something's Coming". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A Fuego Vivo is a live septet set with the latin vibes master out front of Mark Levine on keys, the great percussionist Panco Sanchez on congas, and Gary Foster on alto and flute. It's a pretty atypically frenetic set for such a late date – with wonderfully tight, yet still quite jamming takes on "Serenita", "Ponco Con Dos Amigos", "Mindanao", "Tesoro", "Santo Domingo", "Naima" and "The Continental". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet little Brazilian set from Cal Tjader – quite different than most of his other work of the time! Although Cal spent most of his time at Fantasy Records working in a mixture of jazz and Afro-Cuban styles, he steps off here in a very Brazilian 70s mode – one that has some great links with jazz trends going on in Brazil at the time! Production is by Airto and arrangements are by George Duke – and there's a wonderful crossing of Rio and California in the set – one that uses keyboards from Egberto Gismonti, flute from Hermeto Pascoal, guitars by David Amaro, and trombone from Raul De Souza. Dawilli Gonga plays some especially nice keyboards on the set – and titles include a great version of Joao Donato's "Amazonas", plus the tracks "Mindoro", "Corine", "Noa Noa", and "Cahuenga". CD also features a bonus long version of "Cahuenga". CD

Fantastic – and about as great as you'd imagine! The cool Latiny vibes of Cal Tjader meet the great compositions of Burt Bacharach, and the result is a shimmering set of tracks that forever defines the sound of groovy 60s! Cal's the perfect choice for music like this – as his sense of space, time, and rhythm jibe perfectly with Burt's magical tunes – making for incredible instrumental readings of tracks that include "My Little Red Book", "Moneypenny Goes For Broke", "Don't Make Me Over", and "I Say A Little Prayer". Instrumentation includes organ and guitar next to the vibes – and production is by Gary McFarland, with the same gentle groove as his own best work! CD

A killer record from the late 50s – and one that hints at all the sides Stan Getz would take in later years – his bossa sessions, his vibes quartet with Gary Burton, and the playful lyricism of his recordings with Chick Corea! The set was recorded in San Francisco, when Stan had that great bassist Scott LaFaro in his group, and when he was brought into the studio by Fantasy to meet with local talents like Cal Tjader, Eddie Duran, and Vince Guaraldi. Billy Higgins is also added on drums, giving the set a lively songlike sound that's just great. The group works incredibly well together, and it's a shame they only really gelled for this rare non-Verve session. Titles include "Big Bear", "Crow's Nest", and "Ginza Samba". CD

Rare work by Cal Tjader – recorded in 1960, and unissued for years! The album's in a similar format to some of Cal's other excellent live sets for Fantasy from the time – with tracks that are more stretched out than usual, opening up in a Latiny groove with more room for solos, and more excellent work by the great players in the band. Lonnie Hewitt's right beside Cal's vibes on piano, and the set's got some great Latin percussion from Willie Bobo and Mongo Santamaria. Tracks include "Afro Blue", "Cubano Chant", "Day In Day Out", "Walkin With Wally", "Love For Sale", and "Sigmund Stern Groove". CD

Notable sidemen include Vince Guaraldi, Stan Getz, Jose Lozano, Mongo Santamaria, Willie Bobo, and Luis Miranda. CD

Excellent Verve album that Cal recorded with the great Clare Fischer on organ and piano. Clare's organ work on here is stellar, and he's got this cool little spare sound that works very well with Cal's vibes. The set includes a great version of "Sally's Tomato", plus the cuts "Hip Walk", "O Barquinho", and "Insight". CD

Classic 50s west coast Latin grooves – played by Cal Tjader and a tasty Bay Area combo that includes Benny Velarde on timbales and conga, Manuel Duran on piano, and Carlos Duran on bass! The tracks are short, but have a tight group feel – really driving in a nicely rhythmic mode, with some strong breakaway solos by Cal on vibes. The mix of vibes and percussion is great – and titles include "Mambo Macumba", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Out Of Nowhere", and "Guarachi Guaro" – the original version of "Soul Sauce"! CD

A killer record from the late 50s – and one that hints at all the sides Stan would take in later years – his bossa sides, his vibes quartet with Gary Burton, and the playful lyricism of his recordings with Chick Corea. The set was recorded in San Francisco, when Stan had that great bassist Scott LaFaro in his group, and when he was brought into the studio by Fantasy to meet with local talents like Cal Tjader, Eddie Duran, and Vince Guaraldi. Billy Higgins is also added on drums, giving the set a lively songlike sound that's just great. The group works incredibly well together, and it's a shame they only really gelled for this rare non-Verve session. Titles include "Big Bear", "Crow's Nest", "Liz-Anne", and "Ginza Samba". CD

A 2LP set that compiles early recordings made by Getz for Prestige – about half of them titles that were issued on early singles, combined with material from the album Stan Getz With Cal Tjader. The early singles feature a few tunes with the "brothers" style sound – Brew Moore, Allen Eager, Zoot Sims, and Al Cohn on tenor with Stan – plus some other quartet sides. The Cal Tjader album is killer record from the late 50s – and one that hints at all the sides Stan would take in later years: his bossa sides, his vibes quartet with Gary Burton, and the playful lyricism of his recordings with Chick Corea. The set was recorded in San Francisco, when Stan had that great bassist Scott LaFaro in his group, and when he was brought into the studio by Fantasy to meet with local talents like Cal Tjader, Eddie Duran, and Vince Guaraldi. Billy Higgins is also added on drums, giving the set a lively songlike sound that's just great. The group works incredibly well together, and it's a shame they only really gelled for this rare non-Verve session. Titles include "Big Bear", "Crow's Nest", "Lady In Red", "Prezervation", "Five Brothers", "Crazy Chords", "Long Island Sound", "My Buddy", and "Ginza Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer record from the late 50s – and one that hints at all the sides Stan would take in later years: his bossa sides, his vibes quartet with Gary Burton, and the playful lyricism of his recordings with Chick Corea. The set was recorded in San Francisco, when Stan had that great bassist Scott LaFaro in his group, and when he was brought into the studio by Fantasy to meet with local talents like Cal Tjader, Eddie Duran, and Vince Guaraldi. Billy Higgins is also added on drums, giving the set a lively songlike sound that's just great. The group works incredibly well together, and it's a shame they only really gelled for this rare non-Verve session. Titles include "Big Bear", "Crow's Nest", and "Ginza Samba". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little collection that definitely lives up to the promise of "dirty grooves" in the title – as many of these numbers have a sharp edge and gritty side to their instrumentation – which means that even the familiar artists sound nice and heavy in this setting – alongside some more obscure acts who round out the set with a very deep groove! The package features a few never-issued tracks – which makes the whole thing essential, even if you've got some rare vinyl in your collection back home – and as usual with the top-shelf collections from the BGP label, the whole thing's got a very forward-thinking sound – which means that its dip into the past is filled with funky gems you'll be digging for years to come! Titles include "You" by Spanky Wilson, "Afro Mania" by Preston Epps, "New Beginning" by Sonny Costanzo, "Marriage Is A State Of Mind" by Dave Hamilton, "Gimme Shelter" by Cal Tjader, "One Monkey Can't Stop The Show" by Jacqueline Jones, "Loose & Juicy" by The Pazant Bros, "Light My Fire" by Tammi Lynn, "Chili Mac" by Preston Love, "Brother You Know You're Wrong" by Idris Muhammad, and "Mighty Mouse" by Caesar Frazier. LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones. LP, Vinyl record album

A set that goes much farther back than the others in this series, and which has a much wider range of music, too – not just drumbreaks and basslines, but a mix of many different elements that have been sampled in recent years! Given that the package includes cuts samples by artists who include Chance The Rapper, Jay Z, Wu Tang Clan, Amy Winehouse, Prodigy, and Damian Marley, you can bet there's a good sense of variety going on – and the 2LP set features 28 tracks in all – with titles that include "Black & Tan Fantasy" by Thelonious Monk, "Walk On By" by Cal Tjader, "Angel Eyes" by Ahmad Jamal, "Rags & Old Iron" by Nina Simone, "Russian Lullaby" by Ella Fitzgerald, "Sign Of The Times" by Bob James, "Yesterdays" by Clifford Brown & Max Roach, "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby" by Dinah Washington, "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" by Gil Scott Heron, "All Through The Night" by Ella Fitzgerald, "Exodus" by Ferrante & Teicher, "Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones, "I'm Shakin" by Little Willie John, "Lonely Bull" by Herb Alpert, "God Bless The Child" by Billie Holiday, and "Time Out For Tears" by Chris Connor. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Sonny Criss, Wardell Gray, Shorty Rogers & his Giants, Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars, Gerry Mulligan Quartet, the Dave Brubeck Quartet, Chet Baker Quartet, Miles Davis, Cal Tjader, Lennie Niehaus Quintet, Art Tatum Trio, Buddy Collette Quintet, Red Norvo, Sonny Rollins, Curtis Amy Sextet, Art Pepper, and more. CD

Ralph J Gleason might just be one of the coolest cats to ever write about music – a key part of the San Francisco scene during the postwar years – where his talents helped illuminate both the worlds of art and music during the beat generation – then really helped shine a spotlight on all the cultural changes in the city during the 60s – which even led to Gleason's role in the founding of Rolling Stone magazine! Gleason always had a great eye (and ear) for things that were new and special, but never in a way that was slavish to the moment – or to its creator – and the book features an initial section on his writings on jazz and blues – with essays on John Coltrane, Charles Mingus, Carmen McRae, BB King, John Handy, Vince Guaraldi & Bola Sete, Cal Tjader, Ben Webster, the San Francisco Jazz scene, and other diverse topics. The second section features Gleason on folk and rock – with bits on Jefferson Airplane, Hank Williams, Lenny Bruce, Odetta, The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and others – and the final section features articles on politics and culture – covering topics that include Richard Nixon, radio payola, Law & Order, flower children, and other slices of society, seen from the Gleason viewpoint. Book is hardcover, and 309 pages. Book

Freddie Hughes is one of the great lost voices of the 60s, and this sparkling set of soulful tunes is a real gem! He's not the same singer as the Freddie Hughes from Chicago – and he hailed from San Francisco, a very unlikely source for such great soul music. The CD features the album that Freddie cut for Wand in the mid 60s – one recorded with Lonnie Hewitt (Cal Tjader's funky piano player) in SF – but which has that perfect New York Wand/Scepter "deep soul meets uptown" sound. The tracks are mostly written by Hughes or Hewitt – and they are all pretty amazing, filled with hooks that just don't quit, and some heartbreaking verses that match the work of writers like Curtis Mayfield or Garland Green. Titles include "Send My Baby Back", "He's No Good", "Tonight I'm Gonna See My Baby", and "I Gotta Keep My Bluff In". Added to this album are a number of tracks featuring Freddie in various soul groups – like The Cymbals, The Markeets, The Four Rivers, and Music City Soul Brothers – with tracks that include "Teardrops", "Looking For My Baby", "Every Nite I See Your Face", "God Bless Our Love", and "Love's Philosophy". CD

Great stuff! Tania Maria's first few years recording in the US were some of her best – and this excellent groover on Picante features some very tight Brazilian jazz tracks, cut with a small combo of west coasters, and produced by Cal Tjader with a smooth jazzy vibe. The overall sound is nicely stripped-down, and the main focus is on Tania's soulful voice and piano. Titles include "Lemon Cuica", "Chiclete Com Banana", "Yatra Ta", "Comecar De Novo", and "Super Happy". LP, Vinyl record album

Branford Marsalis in a wonderful solo setting – a record that has the reedman playing in the open, echoey space of San Francisco's Grace Cathedral – a famous site that's also hosted legendary performances by Duke Ellington, Cal Tjader, and Vince Guaraldi! Branford blows both tenor and soprano sax – improvising on compositions, and blowing fresh improvisations himself – with a soulful sound and style that really open up our understanding of Marsalis as a musician – and which definitely has us reexamining his work all over again. The sound is haunting – especially the soprano passages, which have these really edgey tones at times – and titles include "Who Needs It", "The Moment I Recall Your Face", "Blues For One", "I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together", and CPE Bach's "Sonata In A Minor For Oboe Solo" – as well as four "Improvisation" tracks. CD

Caribbean styles hit the American scene – then get transformed into something completely different in this huge collection of recordings that span styles that include jazz, Latin, R&B, soul, and blues! In some cases, the Caribbean element comes through in the song structure – which might be lifted directly, then reworked for an American audience. But at other times, the influence is more in the rhythms or instrumentation – used as inspiration to then create something new – a bit in the way that American soul would provide the inspiration for reggae in the 60s. The package has the usual fantastic Fremeaux presentation – with a big booklet of historical notes, in both French and English, to support 66 titles that include "Jamaica Farewell" by Sam Cooke, "Salty Fish Aki Rice" by Ruth Wallis, "Bajan Girl" by Lionel Belasco, "Sly Mongoose" by Sam Manning, "El Gallero" by Dioris Valladares & Angel Viloria, "El Mambo Diablo" by Tito Puente, "Hey Little Girl" by Professor Longhair, "Un Poco Loco" by Bud Powell, "Chee Koo Baby" by Lloyd Price, "Shrinking Up Fast" by Camille Howard, "Ojai" by Joe Lutcher, "Salee Dame" by Albert Nicholas & Baby Dodds, "Inside" by Hector The Ram, "Run Come See Jerusalem"b y Stan Wilson, "I Learn A Merengue" by Robert Mitchum, "Afro Blue" by Cal Tjader, "La Maricutana" by Damiron & Chapuseaux, "Magical Joe" by Herb Jeffries, "Begin The Beguine" by Charlie Parker, "Make It Do" by Slim Gaillard, "Guitarambo" by Mickey Baker, and "Don't Touch Me Nylon" by The Charmer (aka Louis Farrakhan). CD

Music from Poncho Sanchez, Tito Puente, Pete Escovedo, Cal Tjader, Ray Barretto, Steve Khan, Caribbean Jazz Project, Dave Samuels, & Dave Valentin, Hendrik Meurkens, and mpore. CD

6th volume in the great Mood Mosaic series, with a theme that focuses on swingin' female jazz singers – mostly of the light breezy Euro variety. There's loads of rare cuts on here by Sheila Jordan, France Gall, Alice Babs, Monika Linges, Flora Purim, Annete Peacock, and April Aloisio – plus tracks by other artists that have jazzy vocals, like stuff by Cal Tjader, Barney Wilen, and Sinatra. As usual, this Mood Mosaic comp's slightly different than the last one, but (also as usual) it's compiled with a lot of care, and features loads of hard to find tracks with a groovy clubby sound! CD

The original tracks used in the Re-Bop Savoy Jazz remix project – all classic bop numbers from the late 40s and 1950s – brought together into one great jazz collection on their own! If you've only just dipped into older jazz as part of the recent remix frenzy, the CD's a great way to hear some key work at a very low price – and should point you easily to some of the best bits in the Savoy catalog, once you're ready to make the full plunge into the original albums! 13 tracks in all – including "Minor Vamp" by Curtis Fuller, "Minority" by Cal Tjader, "Night In Tunisia" by Duke Jordan, "Caravan" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Yardbird Suite" by Herbie Mann, "Koko" by Charlie Parker, "Shaw Nuff" by Dizzy Gillespie, and "Night & Day" by Red Norvo. CD

A full LP that combines early work by Dave Brubeck – pulled together from a few 10" LPs, and packaged in a nice cartoony cover. The record features the work of his octet – a group that gives a rare opportunity to hear Brubeck in a large group setting, and one that also features work by Cal Tjader on drums (!), plus Dick Collins and Paul Desmond on their usual instruments. Titles include "The Prisoner's Song", "Prelude", "IPCA", "Fugue On Bop Themes", "Schizophrenic Scherzo", "Playland At The Beach", and "Serenade Suite". CD

Backed by pretty heavy hitters – Cal Tjader, Nat Pierce, Scott Hamilton, Cal Collins and David Ladd! CD

5 famous albums from one of the greatest jazz guitarists of all time! First up is Idle Moments – a warmly melodic session from Blue Note's greatest guitarist! The sound of the set's as evocative as the title – an idle moment of space between the notes, explored by Green's tight single-note work on guitar – and wonderfully supported by a lineup that includes Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, and Duke Pearson. Hutcherson and Pearson are always a treat together – bringing out the best exotic side of each other, and crafting a set of spiritually soulful grooves that are really great! The album's got 4 long tracks – exploratory and open, in the best manner of Green's mid 60s work – and titles include "Nomad", "Idle Moments", "Django" and "Jean De Fleur". Also includes two alternate takes. Street Of Dreams is one of our favorite albums ever from guitarist Grant Green – an amazingly stretched-out session that's served up with a good deal of modal jazz in the rhythms – and a date that features killer work from Larry Young on organ and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes! The pair join Green in a quartet that also includes Elvin Jones on drums – who provides a loose, fluid approach to rhythm that really sets the tone for the date – a flowing vibe that folds together the organ, guitar, and vibes beautifully – with an incomparable floating vibe that's pure magic! All tracks are long and very open – and titles include "Street Of Dreams", "Somewhere In The Night", and "Lazy Afternoon". Latin Bit is a wicked session by Grant Green – one that's very different than any of his other Blue Note records! Here, Grant's going for a "Latin bit" – adding in a trio of percussionists to spice up the groove with a bit of bossa rhythms, and some harder jamming styles that feel a lot like those used in some of the better Cal Tjader albums of the time. Willie Bobo's in the group on drums, and the only other accompaniment is piano, bass, and percussion – letting Grant run out nice and long on his solos, on a very hip set of tracks that includes "Tico Tico", "Mama Inez", "Besame Mucho", and "Mambo Inn". Grant's First Stand was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in really stripped-down company – just Hammond from Baby Face Willette and drums from Ben Dixon – a spare trio setting that makes for a madly cooking little record, and one without some of the smoother edges of Greens' later years! The set's as raw and soulful as Willette's own Blue Note classics – and is very much in the side of the spectrum that Donaldson was bringing to the label at a time – a much-needed dose of new energy from the Prestige Records side of the tracks. Every track's a winner – and titles include "Blues For Willarene", "Baby's Minor Lope", "Miss Ann's Tempo", and "A Wee Bit O Green". Last up is I Want To Hold Your Hand – a subtly modern album hiding under a title stolen from a Beatles' song – and one of the mid 60s gems he cut with organist Larry Young! The group features the trio of Young, Green, and Elvin Jones – a dancing combination that pushes the organ/guitar groove to unheard of heights – plus the addition of tenorist Hank Mobley, who's opening up his own bag considerably by this point. The whole thing's great – based around loose, free rhythms – and featuring searching solos that also still remain nicely swinging and in the pocket! Titles include "Corcovado", "Stella By Starlight", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", and "At Long Last Love". CD

A beautiful set of tracks from the San Francisco scene of the 50s! Moore is a heck of a tenor player, and this second album has him playing in tandem with saxophonist Harold Wylie, the co-leader of Moore's regular combo in San Francisco. The two-tenor frontline works nicely together, and backing's by the rhythm trio that completes the Moore/Wylie combo. One track – "Dues Blues" – features a pickup groove with Cal Tjader and Vince Guaraldi – and other tracks include "Pat's Batch", "Marna Moves", and "Edison's Lamp". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums ever issued under the name of Emil Richards – an important percussionist on the LA scene, and one who played on countless jazz albums and other sessions over the years! This set has Richards working almost exclusively on vibes – as a rare outing for the mostly-rock Del-Fi label, done in a mode that seems to challenge the Latin jazz styles that Cal Tjader was developing at the time on Fantasy Records! And as a bit of a surprise, Emil's working with a similar group to Cal's – one that includes Francisco Aquabella on congas, Cuco Martinez on timbales, and Marcelino Valdez on other percussion instruments – alongside a core trio that features Richards' vibes with Al McKibbon's bass and Paul Moer's piano. The tunes are filled with lots of great modal moments – and titles include "Little Niles", "Green Dolphin Street", "Friday The 13th", "Oh Very Well", "Half & Half", and "Yazz Per Favore". CD

An excellent little set that compiles some of Lalo's groovier sides for the Verve and MGM labels! The set focuses more on Lalo's jazz than soundtrack work, which makes it a nice companion to the Mission Impossible "best of" set on Motor Music. Some tracks are from albums under Lalo's own name as a leader, and other are from albums by Dizzy Gillespie, Cal Tjader, and Bob Brookmeyer. Whatever the source, though, the music's all pretty darn groovy – and the CD's a swirling mass of bossa, Latin, and jazzy jazz grooves! Titles include "Chorale", "The Wave", "Old Laces", "Samba Para Dos", "En Salon Mexico", and "The Chains". CD

With Gary Burton, Cal Tjader, Dick Garcia, Peggy Lee, Nancy Wilson, and more! CD

Nicely done compilation that digs through the vaults of Fantasy, Prestige, and Milestone Records – all to come up with a batch Brazilian-tinged jazz vocal and instrumental tracks! The package runs through the full range of work held by Fantasy Records – from early soul jazz bossa tracks from the 60s, to some of the warmer California grooves of the 70s, up to some of the later 80s fusion sides cut by Brazilian expatriots! There's a total of 15 tracks in all – and titles include "Corcovado" by Paulinho Da Costa, "Song Of The Jet" by Ella Fitzgerald, "Amazonas" by Cal Tjader & Egberto Gismonti, "Feel Good" by Claudio Roditi, "Love Dance (Lembranca)" by Mark Murphy, "Chovendo Na Roseira" by Dom Um Romao, "Vera Cruz" by Jim Hall & Airto, and "Canto De Ossanha" by Raul De Souza. CD

Includes tracks by Stanley Turrentine, Gary Burton, Quincy Jones, Roy Ayers, Lee Morgan, Wes Montgomery, Cal Tjader, Cannonball Adderley, Horace Silver, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Dinah Washington, Joe Henderson, Betty Carter, Herbie Hancock, and others. CD

A great reminder of the time when plenty of groovy music managed to crack the charts in the US – including the hip array of jazz instrumentals presented here! Most of the tunes here would be right at home on a collection in the Mod Jazz series – as all are short, upbeat, and filled with great instrumental touches – a funky flute line here, a lyrical piano bit there – always with a good ear for catchy rhythms and sweet melodies, but hardly in the way that commercial jazz sounds in the 21st Century! Consider this one to be an overview of the cuts that really mattered with the bigger jazz audience in the early part of the 60s – and through the passage of time, most of the material has gone onto have great fame in the global groove underground. 28 tracks, and nearly 80 minutes of music – with titles that include "Shampoo" by Les McCann, "The Loop" by Johnny Lytle, "Watermelon Man" by Herbie Hancock, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Soul Sauce" by Cal Tjader, "Walk On The Wild Side (parts 1 & 2)" by Jimmy Smith, "Swingin Shepherd Blues" by Moe Koffman, "The Sidewinder (part 1)" by Lee Morgan, "Wack Wack" by Young Holt Trio, "Shake A Lady" by Ray Bryant, "Misty" by Richard Groove Holmes, "African Waltz" by Johnny Dankworth, "Dawn" by David Rockingham Trio, and "Taste Of Honey" by Victor Feldman. CD

Music from Poncho Sanchez featuring Joey DeFrancesco, Mongo Santamaria, Tito Puente & His Latin Ensemble, Carribean Jazz Project, Ray Barretto & New World Spirit, Poncho Sanchez with Mongo Santamaria, Cal Tjader, Ray Vega, Ed Calle, Pete Escovedo, and The Latin Jazz All Stars Big Band. CD

One of the grooviest compilations you could ever hope to buy! The set is sort of a complement to the brilliant Lounge Legends series from Germany – and it features tracks that aren't part of that series, but which fit wonderfully next to its titles based on full artists. Essentially, the compilers felt that there was so much groovy music in the Universal catalog of the 60s they could never hope to get out single-volume sets on the work, so they've wrapped up 20 great tracks in a package that includes loads of wonderful moments. Tracks on the set include some real killers by artists that you never knew could be so groovy – including "Dominique's Discotheque" by Sarah Vaughan, "It's Your Turn" by Nelson Riddle, "After Midnight" by Sergio Mendes, "Along Comes Mary" by Cal Tjader, "Shades" by Pat Williams, "Dreamer" by Sylvia Telles, "Sportin Life" by The JBs, "Fried Bananas" by Benny Golson, "Flying Easy" by Woody Herman, "Marrakesh Express" by Stan Getz, "The Look Of Love" by Willie Bobo, "Let The Love Come Through" by Roland Shaw, "Spinning Wheel" by Bossa Rio, and "Love So Fine" by Don Costa. Very very nice – and very nicely priced! CD

An extremely groovy batch of tunes – compiled from the catalog of Verve (and related labels), selected to perfection by Thievery Corporation! These guys have a great reputation for crafting new grooves with a classic sound – and they've no doubt arrived at that talent after a long study of older tracks. Thus, it's no surprise that they've been turned loose on the Verve catalog to pick out some of their favorites – tunes that the stodgy ol' reissue producers would have passed up, were it not for them! Titles include "Escapade" by Wynton Kelly, "The Fakir" by Cal Tjader, "Something Else Again" by Richie Havens, "Chove Chuva" by Sergio Mendes & Brasil 66, "Lisa" by Willie Bobo, "For Mods Only" by Chico Hamilton, "Batucada" by Walter Wanderley, "Light My Fire" by Astrud Gilberto, "Samba Triste" by Jackie & Roy, and "Do It The Hard Way" by The Jazz Renegades. CD